God is Working Around the Globe

Devotional

Day 1: The Great Commission: Go and Make Disciples

Jesus calls every believer to actively go into the world, making disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey His commands. This is not just a suggestion but the very mission statement for the church, a mandate that assures us of Christ’s presence with us always, even to the end of the age. The call to "go" is foundational, reminding us that God is a God who pursues, who initiates, and who sends His people to share the good news wherever they are. [11:16]

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Reflection: Where is God prompting you to “go” today—whether across the street, to a friend, or to a new opportunity—and how can you take a concrete step of obedience in response?

Day 2: The Power and Relevance of the Gospel

The gospel is not just a story for the weak or a crutch for the old; it is the very power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. In a world that often dismisses faith as irrelevant or unscientific, the good news of Jesus Christ remains the answer to the deepest questions of the mind and the longings of the heart. The gospel brings hope, transformation, and the assurance that God pursues each of us with relentless love. [32:49]

Romans 1:16 (ESV)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the hope and power of the gospel, and what is one way you can share it with them this week?

Day 3: Jesus Is the Way, the Truth, and the Life

In a culture that prizes education and skepticism, Jesus’ claim to be the truth stands as a bold and relevant answer to the world’s confusion and despair. The Bible is not a mere storybook but the revelation of God’s truth, offering real answers to life’s biggest questions: Where did we come from? What went wrong? How can it be fixed? Only in Christ do we find the way, the truth, and the life that our hearts and minds long for. [23:56]

John 14:6 (ESV)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are seeking truth or direction, and how can you invite Jesus to guide you in that area today?

Day 4: The Cost and Courage of Following Jesus

Following Jesus is not always easy; it may mean facing fear, rejection, or even the loss of relationships. Yet, Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow Him, assuring us that the cost is worth it for the sake of hope and true belonging. Stepping out in faith may require courage to overcome tradition, social pressure, or personal comfort, but it leads to a life of purpose and freedom in Christ. [22:55]

Luke 9:23 (ESV)
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Reflection: Is there a step of faith or obedience you have been avoiding because of fear or potential loss, and what would it look like to trust Jesus with that today?

Day 5: Meeting Both the Mind and the Heart

People are not only searching for intellectual answers but also for hope, healing, and belonging. While it is important to address doubts and questions, it is equally vital to minister to the heart, offering compassion, friendship, and the love of Christ. True ministry involves both apologetics and empathy, meeting people in their struggles and pointing them to the family of God where they can find restoration and hope. [30:32]

1 Thessalonians 2:8 (ESV)
So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

Reflection: Who around you might be struggling with loneliness, discouragement, or doubt, and how can you reach out to them with both truth and genuine care this week?

Sermon Summary

The call to “Go” is at the very heart of God’s character and the mission He has given to His people. From the very beginning, God has always been a God who goes—He sought out Adam and Eve in the garden, He approached Noah, Abraham, and ultimately, He came to us in the person of Jesus Christ. This divine initiative is the foundation for the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, where Jesus commands His followers to go and make disciples of all nations. The mandate is not just for a select few, but for all who belong to Christ. It is a call to action, to step beyond comfort and tradition, and to bring the hope of the gospel to those who have not yet heard or understood it.

Personal experience testifies to the power of this calling. My own family’s story is a testament to the ripple effect of obedience—missionaries came to Germany, shared the gospel, and as a result, generations of my family have come to faith and are now engaged in church planting. Yet, the work is not easy. In Germany, the soil is hard, the culture is steeped in tradition, and the prevailing worldview is often skeptical or dismissive of the gospel. Building a church can take decades, and the challenges are many: intellectual pride, religious tradition, fear of social exclusion, and a deep spiritual emptiness masked by affluence and education.

Despite these obstacles, the need for hope is universal. No amount of education, government provision, or tradition can fill the void that only Christ can satisfy. The gospel must be presented both to the mind and the heart—addressing intellectual objections with truth and apologetics, while also speaking to the deep longings and wounds of the soul. Real stories of transformation—of those who found hope in Christ after despair, depression, or social isolation—remind us that the gospel is still the power of God for salvation.

Ultimately, the mission is not about results or ease, but about faithfulness to the God who goes. Whether the journey is uphill and against the wind, or filled with moments of joy and breakthrough, the call remains: Go. Trust that God is with us, that He is still seeking the lost, and that the good news of Jesus is as relevant and powerful in Germany as it is anywhere in the world.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s nature is to pursue and initiate. From Genesis to the Gospels, God is always the one who goes after humanity, seeking relationship and restoration. This divine pursuit is the model for our own calling to go and make disciples, reminding us that mission is not our idea, but God’s heart in action. [12:13]
2. Heritage and tradition, no matter how noble, cannot substitute for personal faith in Christ. Even with a rich Christian background, each person must confront the reality of their own need for salvation. The gospel is not inherited; it must be received and believed individually, breaking through the assumptions of cultural Christianity. [14:49]
3. The mission field in Europe, especially in places like Germany, is marked by intellectual skepticism, religious tradition, and social barriers. Evangelism here requires patience, resilience, and a willingness to engage both the mind and the heart—using apologetics to address doubts, and genuine love to overcome fear and isolation. [19:26]
4. Every worldview must answer the fundamental questions: Where did everything come from? What went wrong? How can it be fixed? Only the gospel provides coherent, hope-filled answers—creation, the fall, and redemption through Christ. Engaging these questions thoughtfully can open doors for meaningful conversations about faith. [27:29]
5. The gospel must be presented clearly and courageously, addressing both intellectual objections and the deep needs of the heart. Real transformation happens when people encounter not just arguments, but the living Christ who brings hope, healing, and belonging. Faithfulness in sharing the good news, even in hard places, is never wasted. [32:49]
** [32:49]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[08:33] - The Importance of Clear Communication
[09:43] - Gratitude for Ministry Partnerships
[10:13] - Church Planting in Germany: A Unique Challenge
[10:46] - The Great Commission: Our Mandate
[12:13] - God as the God Who Goes
[13:25] - A Family Transformed by Missions
[16:03] - The Realities of Church Planting in Germany
[17:51] - Ministry Compared to Uphill Cycling
[19:26] - The Spiritual Climate in Germany
[20:42] - Overcoming Fear and Social Barriers
[23:23] - Engaging the Educated and Skeptical
[24:20] - Countering Darwinism and Worldviews
[27:29] - Life’s Big Questions and the Gospel
[30:03] - Reaching Both Mind and Heart
[32:04] - Heart for Europe: Counseling Ministry
[32:49] - The Power of the Gospel and Final Challenge

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) — > And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Romans 1:16 (ESV) — > For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Observation Questions

According to Matthew 28:18-20, what specific instructions does Jesus give to His followers?
In the sermon, what examples were given of God taking the initiative to "go" toward people throughout the Bible? ([12:13])
What challenges did the speaker describe about sharing the gospel and planting churches in Germany? ([16:03])
How does Romans 1:16 describe the power and purpose of the gospel?

Interpretation Questions

Why does the speaker emphasize that "Go" is not just for a select few, but for all who belong to Christ? How does this challenge common ideas about missions? ([10:46])
The speaker shared that heritage and tradition cannot substitute for personal faith. What does this mean for people who grow up in Christian families or cultures? ([14:49])
The sermon mentions that the gospel must address both the mind and the heart. Why is it important to engage both when sharing about Jesus, especially in skeptical or educated cultures? ([30:03])
The speaker says that the mission is about faithfulness, not results or ease. How does this perspective affect the way we approach sharing our faith? ([18:43])

Application Questions

The speaker shared how missionaries coming to Germany changed the course of his family for generations. Who in your life has "gone" to share the gospel with you, and how has that impacted you? ([13:25])
Are there traditions or assumptions in your own background that might make it easy to assume you have faith, rather than personally trusting in Christ? How can you make sure your faith is your own? ([14:49])
The sermon described the fear and social barriers people face when considering following Jesus in Germany. What fears or barriers might keep you or people you know from stepping out in faith or sharing the gospel? ([20:42])
The speaker talked about the need to address both intellectual objections and the deep needs of the heart. Think of someone you know who is skeptical or hurting—what is one way you could reach out to them this week, either with a thoughtful answer or a caring action? ([30:03])
The speaker said that building a church in Germany can take decades and is often an "uphill ride." Where in your life or ministry do you feel like you are going uphill? How can you stay faithful even when you don’t see quick results? ([18:43])
The sermon challenged us to "go" beyond our comfort and tradition. What is one specific step you could take this month to step out of your comfort zone for the sake of the gospel? ([10:46])
Romans 1:16 says the gospel is the power of God for salvation. Is there someone in your life who needs to hear this good news? What is one practical way you can share it with them this week? ([32:49])

Sermon Clips

You cannot do that in Europe or Germany. Everybody is affluent. Everybody has to eat. We're in a social system. The government takes care of you. You know, they in Germany, they called the government even father government, the father state, because they put so much value in the government and the state that is that goes back to a philosophy that was around the 1700s, where they believed in God. They believed that government should be actually, so to speak, the savior. They should take care and fix all the problems. And so you got religion and you got this government is philosophy. And so nobody really needs Christ. You just need them for, you know, a Sunday morning, maybe for a wedding, for an infant baptism. That's when everybody goes to church for Christmas. [00:19:28] (46 seconds) #FaithVsGovernment

But when they do come, man, they experience something just so unique and so liberating. And then there's that, the fear of being a social outcast when you come to our church. So a lady that came for a year or more, but she decided, well, I'm not going to stay with you. Because she said, if I continue to come here, I'm going to lose all of my friends. You know, that's pretty sad. You know, but I mean, Jesus did say, take up your cross and follow me. It is going to cost you something somewhere at some time. Yeah. It's not just going to be an easy downhill ride all the time. That's right. And sometimes it is a little, it's going to cost. Yeah. But you've got to be willing to pay the price. And it's worth it. Yes, Because it gives you hope, you know. [00:22:15] (49 seconds) #CostOfFollowingChrist

So we need to just sometimes show them, no, the Bible is relevant. Yes. It is. Because, you know, God is the truth. I am the truth, Jesus said. I'm the way, the truth. And so we have to make it relevant. I have to show them. This is not just some unscientific fairytale book. We use apologetics, defending the faith, just from a Christian perspective, how we can show people. This is relevant. [00:23:46] (38 seconds) #BibleIsRelevant

You have to ask these three questions that any philosophy or religion or worldview has to answer. It says, where did everything come from? What went wrong? Because obviously something went wrong. Or otherwise we would have no problems. And how can it be fixed? Those are the three questions every philosophy, religion, worldview has to answer. [00:27:29] (25 seconds) #ThreeBigQuestions

But only the Bible gives a sensible answer. Where did everything come from? God created. What went wrong? Satan and sin came into the world and messed it up. And how can it be fixed? Jesus died on the cross. And he will fix it. And he's the only one. [00:28:28] (15 seconds) #BibleHasTheAnswers

And so many people today in Germany are just so depressed. They are discouraged. They're sometimes angry because sometimes people get angry because they are empty inside. And we had a lady that called us up one day and she needed to talk to us. And she had a lot of problems with her family. She was an unbeliever. But she came. And she sobbed. And she cried. And she broke down. And we said, well, you know what? In order for you to fix your family, you need to first of all fix your own family. You need to be in the family of God. And so she got saved. And that made a difference. [00:30:50] (43 seconds) #HopeForTheBroken

One guy, we helped him get through. He wanted to commit suicide because he worked at a law firm in Germany. But his colleagues were mobbing him. We're not talking about just anybody. We're talking lawyers. And he got so discouraged, so depressed that he wanted to commit suicide. And we gave him hope in Jesus Christ. And he didn't do it and got saved. And his wife, too. So praise the Lord for that. [00:31:36] (28 seconds) #SavingTheDesperate

So is Jesus Christ your Savior? Is he your God? Is he your Lord? Is he your good news? And I hope that he is. And so that is what we do in Germany. This is the ministry. This is the gospel message. It's the same as it is here. [00:33:19] (18 seconds) #JesusIsOurHope

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